Kyrgyz parliament outlawed casinos and slot machine halls. The bill to ban gambling in the country, as reported Tazabek, adopted September 29 in three readings. The ban on gambling comes into force on January 1, 2012.
The bill supported by 105 deputies, one voted against, one abstention. Document sent for signature to the interim president of Kyrgyzstan Roza Otunbayeva.
The initiative to prohibit casinos in Kyrgyzstan earlier by MP from the opposition party Ar-Namys (Dignity) Bakytbek Dzhetigenov.
Criticism of gambling support Otunbayeva, speaking with a corresponding video message. The head of the republic said that the activities of a casino has a detrimental effect on society. However, she acknowledged that the ban on gambling does not eliminate them, and will drive only in the underground (in this regard, she stated that it is enough to tighten the rules for their work). In conclusion, Otunbayeva urged citizens to unite against the casino barons.
In discussing the bill to ban casinos and other suggestions were expressed (for example, to move into a gambling area). In turn, the representative of the Ministry of Finance, speaking to the deputies, said that every year from the casinos and slot machines in the budget in the form of taxes receives about 400 million soms (about nine million dollars). The official stressed that the prohibition of gambling budget will have to seek additional funds.
Total in Kyrgyzstan, according to official figures, there are 21 casinos and about three thousand arcades.
The morning of 29 September, before the vote on the bill, casino workers gathered for a rally outside the parliament building. The protesters, as reported by K-News, said that the deputies deliberately trying to drive gambling underground. And then these same deputies who themselves had played in a casino, we will be 'fronting'. And all the money that now goes to the state treasury, it will flow into the pockets – said a member of the Association of gambling Mirza Niyazov.